Ode To The Rusted Steel Penny

Ode to the rusted Steel Penny
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Oh wheatie Made of steel,
So Much History in a Once Cent Piece
And you're practically gorgeous.
They see rust, I see memories.

To think of you threading through fingers
Of men and women buying last drinks
before someone ships off -- where too?
I'll be home soon, my love, can't say more.

Betted on ship poker games,
the long trip over
Placed in a pocket and up to the rails
Say, look boys! So that's Dover...

Into the STORM of D-Day and up the sands,
Standing, Shining, tarnished by sweat,
by grim tracks a beaten way
across the Bulge.

Stained by blood, pulled from the pocket.
Wheat stalks a little less pristine
but so much more sacred
Liberty walking beside her
Is that a tear?

Back home with other belongings
Battle buddy packed the little cent himself
but not before it went through Berlin.
See, Bob, we made it, we did it...
And he writes the same to the lady at home.

Little penny falls from the envelope
Tears splash the letter.
Placed with a baby as homage.
They are talking in the living room.

Cent not as dark as the clothes.

So it passes down, then one day
into a little plastic carrier next to kin.
You know they made these others out of shell casings.

What you now hold has seen so much.
Look back, and look forward.
Old steel penny, wartime symbol.
Amber waves of grain.

- Jonathan C. Gillespie